Germany’s Eastern Policy on the Eve of the 2009 National Elections

Author: Iris Kempe

Germany’s historical background, its many linkages with Central and Eastern Europe, and its geographic proximity make it Europe’s most important actor in Eastern Policy. This prominence also makes Germany vital for a solid transatlantic framework to support both the Obama administration’s efforts to redesign relations with Russia and overall Euro-American engagement in the EU’s neighborhood. The Bundestag elections in September will bring changes mostly at the margins of German foreign policy, as key aspects are examples of cross-party consensus…